Missing
by countrygirl-606
Summary: Just as the three of them are enjoying the freedom between hunts, when Taylor gets a call from her somewhat boyfriend Jeremy telling her that her best friend, Kelly, is missing. Taylor drags the boys back home, opening closed doors as well as new ones.
1. Phone Call

Hey guy! hope you like my new story, still really working out the kinks so I hope i can get the next chapter out to you in a matter of days. and i'm sorry i know this one is short, but it gets better really. just hang in there with me!

Disclaimer, I don't own the characters Sam and Dean Winchester or the original storyline from _Supernatural_.

* * *

"Yes, Sir!" Taylor saluted Dean. Dean rolled his eyes and sauntered off towards the bar. Sam and Taylor shared an amused look then cracked up laughing.

Taylor took a sip of her Pepsi and looked at Dean where he stood at the bar.

"He's been so tight-assed lately."

Sam choked on his beer and blinked at her.

"Well you are one for causing bar fights."

Taylor looked innocently at him, "I can't help that men fight over me."

"Are you sure they're fighting _over _you?" Sam asked with a devious grin.

Taylor opened her mouth to respond when her phone rang in her pocket. She slid it out and looked at the screen, her green eyes widened as she looked back up at Sam, her eyes nervous.

"What?" Sam leaned forward, "Who is it?"

"Jeremy." Taylor looked back down that the phone and answered it. "Hello?"

"Taylor? Taylor? Oh it's so good to hear your voice."

"I know I missed you too. Is something wrong?" Taylor looked back up at Sam, worry on her face.

"Can't a guy call his girl?" Jeremy responded, she could hear the sheepish smile in his voice.

"For one I'm not your girl and two you wouldn't call unless something was wrong. You hate talking on the phone, remember?"

"Okay, okay." Jeremy caved, his voice was now ragged with worry. "I don't want to alarm you."

"Oh, God, what happened," Taylor cried as tears threatened her eyes.

Sam saw her expression change and laid a reassuring hand on hers.

"Well… Kelly…she's missing."

"What!" voice frantic now Taylor got up pushing through the people she left the bar to go stand out in the cool autumn night and collect her thoughts.

"Tay, sweetheart," Jeremy sighed, she heard the tears in his own voice. "The police-," he continued, "the police think that it was a kidnapping, because her house was ransacked, although nothing of value was stolen."

"Who would do this?" Taylor sobbed, leaning, almost falling against the wall in despair and grimacing at her broken, but healing rib.

The door to the bar opened letting music and talking drift out through the parking lot. Sam followed by Dean walked out the door and stood next to Taylor, who held a hand up at them signaling that she needed space.

"I'm coming home," Taylor stated, determination set on her face.

"Tay, it's not going to do any good-."

"Don't try and talk me out of it Jeremy, I'm coming home. See you in a few days." And with that she hung up and gave her brothers a hard look.

"Let's go." She went to start up her Camero.

"Wait, what about the guy who mysteriously died after-."

"-He can wait. After all he is dead." She slammed the door shut and started up her car. She pulled out of the parking lot before Dean could respond. Swearing under his breath he and Sam got into the Impala.

Dean fumed but he followed Taylor as they made their way to the highway that would lead them to St. Cloud, Minnesota. When they had been driving for a few minutes, Dean turned to Sam.

"What the hell is going on Sam?"

Sam turned to him looking a little bored, "Something happened to one of Taylor's friends, I'm guessing."

"You're guessing?" Dean said a little too loud and looked at his brother incredulously. "You see Sammy, this is why we can't have friends in a job like this, we can't just run home whenever something happens to one of them." Dean said as he pulled out his phone. He dialed Taylor's number, and waited for her to pick up.

--

Taylor just drove trying not the think about the urgency of her trip. Kelly was missing. Unconsciously she picked up her locket and rubbed it between her thumb and forefinger.

"Mom," she murmured, taking a glance at the sky, "mom, please let her be okay." She choked back a sob, blinking the tears away so she could see the dark road ahead of her. She grasped the locket like it was the only thing that was keeping her alive. She jerked her head towards her purse when her phone rang, she had thrown it over there when she had gotten on the car. She let go of the locket to dig for her phone, simultaneously watching the road. It rang again, ACDC, singing "Back in black". She finally reached it and sliding it open answered.

"Dean."

"Why the hell are we ditching a job to go run back to St. Cloud?"

She could feel the anger through the phone, "It's Kelly."

"Who?"

"You remember the other waitress I was working with back at Sally's?"

Dean thought for a second, but Taylor didn't wait for him to respond.

"She's my best friend Dean, almost like my sister, and she's missing. Jeremy said the cops think it was a kidnapping. We have to go Dean and if you don't want to follow, I'll go on my own."

"Wait who's Jeremy?"

Taylor sighed, frustrated, "Do you have a one track mind? It doesn't matter, what does is that my friend is missing Dean, someone broke into her house and took her."

"So it was a robbery too?"

"No, Jeremy said that nothing valuable was stolen."

Dean furrowed his brow and something pulled at his gut.

"Nothing was stolen? But Kelly is missing?"

"Yes, Dean, now do you see why we have to go."

"Okay, okay, we'll look for your friend."

Sam looked at his brother with admiration and amusement.

Dean gave him a "What?" look, Sam just shrugged.

Taylor's sigh was ragged through the phone.

"Thank you Dean." Taylor hung up, wiping tears from her eyes and put her foot down on the accelerator, the faster they got there the better.

--

Dean clicked his phone closed and put it back in his pocket.

"What?" he said to Sam.

Sam just smiled and shrugged, "You really care Dean."

"Oh bite me, Sam," Dean growled. "There's something about this that doesn't seem right."

Sam looked at his brother questioningly.

"Her friend was kidnapped, Kelly, the one girl that worked at the bar," Dean waved his hand absently.

"Yeah I remember her," Sam said.

"You do?" Dean looked puzzled.

"Anyway…"

"Well, anyway, the person who kidnapped Kelly left all the valuables in the house, even though they must have made it look like, like a robbery or even a kidnapping."

"So what are you saying Dean, that you don't think it's a kidnapping."

"I'm saying that Taylor isn't really thinking right now, and that she may be overlooking something."

"So that's why we're going with? To look for whatever she isn't seeing?"

"Something like that."

Sam shook his head and laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

It was quiet for a few seconds as Dean accelerated with Taylor.

"I'm just looking out for family, Sam."

Sam smiled at him, "So she's family now?"

Dean scowled at him, "She's our sister Sam, we've helped your friends before, we've helped mine, now one of Taylor's friends is in trouble."

Sam grinned at Dean.

"Shut up, Sammy."


	2. Breaking and Entering

Taylor pulled into her home town and a feeling of relief mixed with anxiety filled her chest

Taylor pulled into her home town and a feeling of relief mixed with anxiety filled her chest. Dean's Impala wasn't far behind, following her car lazily. She followed the familiar roads to her house and when she pulled around the corner she saw the bright red Mustang GT sitting in her driveway and immediately knew Jeremy was waiting for her. When she got closer see saw that he was leaning against his car, wearing familiar blue jeans and a plain grey t-shirt. Taylor pulled up in the driveway, put her car in park while turning it off, then jumped out and ran towards him.

"Jeremy." He smiled and his sad blue eyes sparkled.

She threw her arms around him and took in the familiar sent of his soap. He pulled her closer.

"Oh, Taylor," he breathed near her ear.

The tears threatened again, partially out of happiness to see him and sadness of the knowledge that now she was here she would have to deal with all the pain again. Her head lay against his chest as a few of the tears escaped.

He held her away, to look at her and his expression turned sympathetic when he saw the tears. She quickly wiped them away.

"Hey," he said running a hand over her hair, blue eyes meeting her green ones. "It's gonna be okay. We'll find her." He pulled her into a hug again. When he looked over her should she felt his body stiffen and moved away to look at her brothers standing awkwardly at the end of the drive. She smiled at Jeremy, telling him it was okay and beckoned for her brothers.

"Jeremy, these are my brothers, Sam and Dean," she said gesturing towards either one.

"Dean, Sam, this is my friend Jeremy."

Jeremy frowned at the word "friend" but shook her brothers' hands and gave them a friendly smile.

"Nice to finally meet the infamous Winchester brothers," he commented.

Dean and Sam exchanged glances but followed Taylor and Jeremy into her house.

"Taylor, we need to talk," Jeremy whispered as her pulled the front door open.

"I know about Kelly," she finished.

"No, it's about us."

Taylor paused in the doorway her brothers a few steps behind, she saw the urgent look in Jeremy's eyes. She glanced back at her approaching brothers and then whispered back.

Her eyes were sad as they met his, "Not now, Jer."

His eyes shifted angrily to her brothers then he moved away from her into the house, she sighed wearily. As her brothers walked past her into the house she closed the door. They walked into her living room off the right. She almost cried right there. Everything looked the same, too much the same, it hurt to see that. She figured that anything of home now would probably make her want to cry.

Jeremy walked over to the far corner of the room to look out the window into the backyard. Mostly all he saw were trees and the shed. Sam and Dean made themselves comfortable, Dean sitting in the chair and Sam on the couch. Taylor stood looking at Jeremy, then slowly settled on the couch next to Sam. There was a silence for a minute, a heavy one, no one knew what to say or how to say it.

"So," Dean started, breaking the silence, "Jeremy, why don't you tell us exactly what the cops told you."

Jeremy turned then, not looking at Dean though, his eyes were immediately drawn towards Taylor, who glanced at him, then back towards Dean. Jeremy moved his gaze towards Dean's finally answering his question.

"They didn't tell me much. Just that it looked like she was kidnapped and nothing of value was stolen from the house."

"That's strange," Sam said, knitting his brow.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking when the cops told me that, why would a kidnapper just take Kelly and leave all her belongings," Jeremy agreed, throwing himself on the couch next to Taylor with a tired sigh. Taylor glanced at him sorrowfully then placed her hand on his knee. He looked down at it then intertwined his fingers with hers, sending her a hopeful look as she glanced away again.

"We need to go check it out," Taylor said an eerie calm in her voice.

Jeremy's hand faltered in hers, "You mean break into a crime scene?"

Taylor smiled at him mischievously, "That's exactly what I mean."

"I still can't believe we're doing this. It's insane," Jeremy whispered shrilly, rubbing his hands together against the cold. Every time they breathed, little puffs of white floated above their heads in the cool night.

"It's frickin' cold out here," Dean complained, holding his jacket flaps closer to his body.

"Stop complaining you big baby," Taylor said, hitting his arm.

Dean shot her a disgusted look and went back to watching Sam trying to pick the lock.

"Sammy, could you, uh, hurry up?" Taylor asked, annoyance present in her voice.

"Uh, you wanna try; my fingers are practically freezing off here."

"I have to ask, do you guys always break into crime scenes?" Jeremy asked looking around warily.

"Only when necessary," Taylor answered normally.

Jeremy looked at her like she was crazy, "What do you guys do for a living?"

Dean smirked at him, "Man you don't wanna know."

"Got it!" Sam said smiling triumphantly. The three siblings moved forward into the house, but Jeremy took another worried look around before following them.

The humorous mood ended as soon as they walked through the door and saw the mess that lay around them. Taylor stood almost frozen surveying the small home of her friend. The beautiful vase that she had bought on one of their many trips to the cities through high school was broken into a thousand pieces on the floor. Taylor bent and picked one of the pieces up to hold it in her hand. On this particular piece there was a small purple flower on the corner, with vines leading off of it. She fingered the piece absently then stuck it in her jacket pocket. She moved through the room forgetting her brothers and Jeremy. She stood in front of the bookcase which had once been lovingly filled with books. Taylor smiled when she thought back to the teasing she had given her friend in high school on the way she read through books like someone would go through water. And when she moved into this house she had bought this bookcase so she could fit all of her books in one place. It had been a huge selection. Now, most of them lay on the floor or in tatters all around. One of Kelly's favorite authors had been Nora Roberts and Taylor picked up one of her books now, holding it fondly in her hands. Kelly had also taken such good care of all of her books it was saddening to see them scattered all over the floor.

Taylor turned when she heard another familiar sound. A grey streak swept across the floor towards her. Stopping when he reached her leg, to rub his face against her jeans and purr very loudly.

"Willie!"

Taylor scooped the purring cat into her arms and hugged him tightly, hoping the tears behind her eyes wouldn't escape. She walked a few steps around the cluttered floor, petting Willie behind his ears, his purrs vibrating against her chest. Taylor stopped short when she saw the picture. She knelt down slowly to pick up the crumpled photo. Instead of standing back up she just sat on the floor as the tears rolled down her cheeks. Willie purred absently as she stared at the photo of her and her best friend on Kelly's sixteenth birthday party. They had had a small party just the two of them and had taken Kelly's new 1967 powder blue Buick Riviera. The thing had spouted black smoke all the way to Sally's and back, but it had made it. It was probably still parked faithfully in the small garage, fixed now but it had been a rust bucket. Kelly loved that stupid car like nothing else, Taylor hadn't understood until she got her Camera a few weeks after.

Now she was hunched on the floor, silent sobs racking her body.

_Kelly, where are you?_

"Taylor?"

She looked up through her tears at Jeremy who bent over next to her to lay a supporting hand on her shoulder. He crouched next to her when he saw the tears and wrapped an arm around her as she held her purring cat and the memento, oblivious to Sam and Dean.

They paused when Taylor knelt on the floor, Sam started towards her but Dean stopped him and motioned towards Jeremy who was already moving towards her. They exchanged knowing looks then went back to looking for anything out of the ordinary. Honestly the place was trashed and it did look like a burglary, but again nothing was really missing. Sam passed one of the windows looking out towards the backyard, he glanced out, although it was pitch black he had this strange feeling that somebody was watching. He glanced at the window bar before moving on, but froze and moved back. Yellow powder lined the sill, and up by the lock. Sam gestured for Dean, who was next to him in a second. He rubbed his finger in the trail and brought it up to his nose.

Dean looked at him reading his thoughts.

"Sulfur."


	3. For Arguements' Sake

_Hey guys! I just have a quick note that will be important later on in the story, and I just want you all to remember that my story is based right after the second season of the show._

_Alright enjoy the third chapter! i'll have the next one up soon!_

_Feedback please!_

* * *

"What now?" Taylor asked wrapping the blanket around her shoulders tighter. She held the shard of the vase in one hand and felt the square of the picture in her back pocket. Willie was making himself at home, lounging on the top of the couch. She was barely holding herself together and it had taken a group effort to pull her out of Kelly's house.

Sam looked at her sympathetically, "We wait for now." He glanced at Dean pleading with his eyes. Dean just shook his head, looking down at his hands. Neither of them wanted to tell her about the sulfur.

"Just wait!? I can't just wait; we need to do something Sam! My friend is out there probably hurt, maybe dead! Who knows and the sooner we do something the sooner we can find her." Her eyes turned dark with anger but the tears stayed present. The sadness that also lingered there cut at Sam's heart.

"Taylor," he began, "we found-."

"-I ordered pizza for us, I'm not much of a cook," Jeremy said, walking back into the room and smiling, sat next to Taylor on the couch. He put his arm around her pulling her head down onto his chest.

"What were you saying Sam?" she asked.

"Uh.." he looked nervously at Dean, "nothing. It's nothing."

There was silence for a moment.

"So Taylor what have you been up to for the past few months?" Jeremy asked, his eyes searching.

"I, uh, I've just been working with my brothers you know that. It's been something that I've needed to do, now that I've found my place." She smiled at him sincerely as she finished.

He frowned, "I'd rather have you here where I know you're safe."

"I know, but I've finally figured everything out and I'm happy doing what I'm doing."

Her smile faded.

His face was hard, "And what is it that you have been doing." He glanced at Sam and Dean. Sam awkwardly turned to look out the back window, getting the feeling that they were being watched again.

"Working, Jeremy. You know that," Taylor answered, her voice irritated now.

"But what do you do?"

Taylor sat up and looked at him, "We solve cases, we help people."

Jeremy gave her a sharp look and leaned forward, hands together in his lap. After a second of thinking he grabbed her hand and pulled her off the couch, into the kitchen and out the back door.

"What the hell Jeremy!" She yelled, yanking her arm away as soon as they were outside.

"We need to talk," he said in a quiet voice.  
"About what!"

"Us."

"This is not the time-."

"This is the perfect time Taylor, there was no better time. God." He pulled her towards him again as he said this. He sighed and Taylor tried to see his expression but it was dark in the back with no light but the one from the living room and kitchen windows.

"Taylor I Love you," Jeremy finally said. "And I don't care what you and you're brothers do, but I need to be with you. Especially now that Kelly's missing, I'm more worried about your safety than anything else."

Taylor's mouth gaped; she closed it and opened it again, feeling like a fish out of water.

"You can't pull the L card on me now!" frustrated she ripped her hands from his and ran one of them through her heavy hair trying to clear her head.

"What do you mean I can't pull the L card-."  
"Jeremy," Taylor paced up and down the grass, "how can you say that now of all times."

"Babe, I wanted to tell you before you left, but I didn't think it was gonna do any good," he explained, reaching out for her again. But she held her hands up in defense.

"Why now, Jeremy, why now?"

"Because I love you."

"Jesus."

Jeremy reached for her again, this time catching her arm and pulled her against him.

"It shouldn't matter that it's a little late, I said it now."

He looked down at her smiling; she returned the look with a little touch of confusion.

"Now it's your turn," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"To proclaim your undying love for me."

This produced a laugh from her. "So?"

"Jeremy…" she sighed and went back into the house. He followed.

"It's okay, you don't have to say it right away, I'll let you have some time to think about it."

"I just…Kelly's missing and that's all you can think of?" Taylor turned to look at him with her hand on her hip, the other leaning on the small table. His grin faded, blue eyes hurt.

"That's not how it is."

"Oh well then explain to me how it is?" Taylor crossed her arms and raised her chin to him.

"A man can't tell the girl he's known since high school that he loves her and that he wants to be with her!" Jeremy bellowed. He let out an angry breath and ran a hand through his hair; it was very rare to hear him yell.

"Not when his friend is missing," Taylor yelled back, turning and walking away. He caught her wrist.

"We're not done," he said in a dark voice and turned her back to face him.

She glared back and stuck her chin out at him.

"I have nothing left to say."

"Oh, that would be a first."

She tried to push him away, but he held tight.

"Let me go!"

"Not until we talk," he reasoned.

"Fine, you want me to talk, I'll talk. I think you're being selfish and self-centered, when all you can think about is us and not our friend that's missing and possibly dead."

His eyes darkened as she said it, she looked at him warily as she watched the anger spread through his rigid face.

"Uh, guys," a quiet voice said from the door of the kitchen. "Pizza's here." Sam looked anxiously from Taylor to Jeremy.

"Good," Jeremy answered, "but I can't stay." He glanced at Taylor one more time then let her go; he grabbed his jacket as he left.

Taylor stood there stunned by the words that had just come out of her mouth.

"I think you should go after him," Sam suggested, biting into a piece of pizza.

Taylor glanced at him, then at the door.

"Ya think?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't leave things hanging," Sam explained taking another bite.

Dean came into the kitchen then, smelling the pizza.

"Dude that was intense," he said grabbing a piece. Taylor rolled her eyes and hurried out the door.

Jeremy was just about to get into his car. He stopped when he saw her. She paused for a second then went over to him. He slammed the door and leaned against it.

"Hi," was all she could muster at his sullen look. He nodded but didn't respond. Unable to think of something to say she leaned against her car parked next to his. They stared at each other for a few minutes.

"So…" he said.

"So…" she said.

"Well, this was interesting but I have better things to do."

"No, no, no, don't leave, please, I want to apologize," Taylor took an attentive step towards him.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so I just blurted some crap out, but I didn't mean it really."

"So you don't think I'm selfish and self-centered?" He crossed his arms his blue eyes filled with amusement.

"No," she gave him a small smile.

"Good."

"Yeah, I just don't understand why you waited to tell me now. You have to admit, it wasn't exactly the best timing." She rubbed her arms against the cold, ignoring the cool concrete against her bare feet. Jeremy pulled off his jacket and set it on her shoulders; she pulled the worn brown leather tighter around her shoulders.

"Honestly, I wanted to tell you before you left, but I was…I was scared I guess."

"Of what? Little ol' me?" She grinned up at him.

"Yeah you," he answered smiling back, "and of what you would say."

"What did you think I would say?" she asked moving closer.

"Well, it was mostly fear of rejection," he answered. And she knew that he was telling the truth as her eyes searched his blue ones. As they stood there the wind ruffling his grey t-shirt, she knew the answer.

"How could I refuse you?" she asked, closing the distance between them. His wide grin was catching and he had her grinning too. He started to lean in towards her. She leaned too, but something caught her eye in her peripheral vision. Her brothers were standing in the front window making kissy faces at her and Jeremy. Jeremy laughed and she gave her brothers a choice finger, making her brothers' laugh and Jeremy laugh harder. She turned back to him and tugged his shirt until his mouth met hers, surprising him. He fell into the kiss easily, soft at first then a little deeper. She pulled away first, keeping her eyes closed a second to cherish the feeling. Then when she opened them again, he was grinning madly at her.

She laughed and started back towards the house.

"Come on before the two knuckleheads eat all the pizza."

Jeremy, still dazed, followed her into the house.


	4. As Long As We're Together

"So what's the plan guys?" Taylor asked, snuggling into the couch arm, tummy full. "And don't you tell me waiting, 'cause like hell I'm gonna wait around-."

"Taylor until tomorrow there is nothing that we can do," Sam explained, sitting carefully onto a bench below the back window. It creaked under his weight.

Taylor sighed exaggeratedly, making a disgusted face.

"I think they're right Tay, there's not much we can do until tomorrow," Jeremy agreed from the other side of the couch.

"Oh, who asked you?" Taylor pouted, shoving his thigh with her foot and pulled it away quickly before he could grab it.

"Oh get a room," Dean mumbled, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "So tomorrow I think we should go door to door. Talking to neighbors and old friends," Dean said out loud, looking from Taylor to Jeremy.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Jeremy said, he smiled over at Taylor. Dean gagged. Taylor sent him a warning glance, then got up from the couch.

"Well since the excitement is over for today, I'm gonna hit the hay," Taylor moved towards the stairs.

"Whoa, wait, where am I gonna sleep?" Jeremy asked.

"Uh, you're not staying here," Dean said.

"Well I'm not going home."

Dean's face tightened and Sam cleared his throat.

"There aren't enough beds," Taylor pointed out.

"I'll sleep on the couch," Jeremy said stretching out.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Taylor responded looking warily at her brothers.

"Well I'm not leaving."

There was a moment of strained silence.

Dean got in Jeremy's face, "You'd better not pull something dude or I swear to God…"

"Down boy," Taylor said, pulling Dean towards the stairs.

"Take it easy, Dean," Sam said standing.

"Alright you can stay," Taylor caved, "but behave." Taylor gave him another warning look before leading Dean up the stairs. Sam followed them.

When they were at the top of the stairs Taylor pulled Dean aside.

"You have to trust me, I am an adult."

"Like hell, you two are like two randy teenagers-."

"'Scuse me, I know you didn't just pull that crap on me."

Taylor's eyes flashed.

"Yeah Dean it's not like you've never gone to a bar and picked up girls and pulled an all-nighter," Sam added.

"That's different."

"How the hell is that any different?"

"Alright, guys chill," Sam yelled.

"Fine, but I'm checking on him before we go to bed," Dean growled before stomping towards his room.

Sam shrugged and went to his room. Frustrated Taylor threw her arms up in the air and went to her own room to throw on some flannel PJ bottoms and a tank. She went to go brush her teeth just as Dean came out of the bathroom and went down the stairs. She rolled her eyes and wetted her tooth brush. She quickly brushed her teeth, listening carefully for anything downstairs. When she finished she rinsed her mouth out and went back to her bedroom just as Dean came back up the stairs. He point a finger at her, then two fingers at his eyes, then one at her again, before disappearing into his room. Taylor rolled her eyes as she closed the door. Then she crawled into bed and snuggled underneath the warm covers.

It took her a while to quiet her thoughts. Mostly thoughts of tomorrow and apprehension that maybe they wouldn't find anything. But hope was still there and she strongly believed in having hope, because without hope all there was, was despair. As her mind finally quieted, she heard someone open and shut her door. She tensed in her position and prepared to fight. He slid under the covers next to her and wrapped an arm around her. She swung her leg up and was about to scream, when he clasped a hand over her mouth and grabbed her leg at the knee.

"It's me," Jeremy whispered.

"Jesus Christ Jeremy."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't stay away." He lay an arm over her side, pulling her closer.

"Yeah and if Dean catches you there's gonna be hell to pay," she whispered back fiercely.

"Dude's snoring so loud he could wake the dead."

Taylor giggled.

There was a pleasant silence between them for a moment.

"So what are you doing up her Stone?"

"Ouch, last name reference, does that mean I'm in trouble?"

She hit him playfully on the arm and kicked her legs out. He defended his legs by wrapping his own around hers and holding tight. She tried to move them but he was stronger. It was then that she realized that all he was wearing was a t-shirt and his boxers. She blushed, thankfully that it was too dark in the room to see anything but silhouettes.

"Okay, okay," he said finally releasing her legs I'm here because I can't stand to be away from you."

Now her heart melted. "Jeremy…"

"What?"

She tried to pull away from him, but he held tight.

"Taylor, when you left," he started, then sighed, "when you left, I knew as soon as I saw your car disappear that I was missing a part of myself. Now that you're back I don't want to let you out of my sight, because I know that you leaving again is unavoidable and I want to be with you as much before you leave." He stroked her back softly.

Tears appeared at the back of her eyes and she tried to so hard to hold them back. Because she knew that he was right, she would leave again and she didn't want to.

"Taylor?" he whispered his breath close to her face.

"Yeah," she squeaked, glad that they had to whisper otherwise he would have heard her voice crack.

"Can you promise me one thing?"

"What's that?"

"That next time you leave, promise me that I can come with you."

The tears rolled down her cheeks now, and she struggled away from him, to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I can't promise that," she breathed. She got up to look out the window into the backyard. She heard him move from the bed and stand behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Why not?" His breath ruffled her hair. She wiped the tears away as a new wave of them threatened to fall.

She turned, "Because Jeremy, my job…it's dangerous and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Well I don't want anything to happen to you either," he argued.

"I know," she sobbed. He dragged her closer, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. She did the same, clinging to his t-shirt.

"Babe, as long as we're together, nothing can go wrong."

Those last words, made all the new tears come, and she sobbed into his shirt. He rubbed her back gently and ran his fingers through her hair. They stood like that until her tears were dry and she felt capable of talking him out of it.

But instead she avoided it all together and crawled back into bed.

"You can stay tonight, but you have to promise to be good."

He jumped in bed next to her, "Scouts honor."

She giggled again and snuggled into him. He slung and arm over her side, she laid her head against his chest before she drifted off to sleep.

When she awoke, she reached out for Jeremy smiling, but the bed was empty except for her, and the sheets were cool. She sat up disoriented; she rubbed her crusty eyes and tied back her unruly hair. She descended the stairs, the smell of freshly made coffee, rising to meet her. When she entered the kitchen three pairs of eyes turned her direction. She looked down to make sure that no unnecessary piece of skin was showing; when she was satisfied she started towards the coffee maker. Jeremy anticipated her move and handed her a cup of coffee.

"Sleep well?" he asked smiling over his coffee cup.

She returned the smile, "Like a baby."

"More like an angel," he murmured so that her brothers couldn't hear.

She sipped her coffee, so he wouldn't see her smile. She made approving noises.

"Just how I like it-."

"-Lots of cream and sugar," Jeremy finished her thought.

"You remembered," she murmured, more to herself than to him.

Dean cleared his throat. They both turned to look at him.

"So, I was thinking we should get an early start and go knocking on doors now."

"Okay," Taylor said.

"Me and Sam will take the neighbors, you and Jeremy can go talk to any of your other friends who might have spoken to Kelly before she disappeared, see if she said anything about being followed or some guy stalking her."

"Right," Taylor said finishing off her coffee, "I'm gonna take a quick shower and I'll be right back down." She started towards the stairs, when she hit her room first she grabbed some clean clothes and quickly got in and out of the shower. She dried her hair, applied some product, brushed her teeth and dressed. She was back down the stairs in about 15 minutes. Jeremy was waiting in the living room watching TV.

"You changed," she observed.

He met her gaze, "Yeah I ran home quick." He was wearing, dark blue jeans and a long-sleeved, light blue shirt that made his eyes more prominent. His dark brown boots were sitting next to the door and his socked feet were sitting on the coffee table.

"Where are Sam and Dean?" Taylor asked peering into the kitchen to see it empty.

"They left already."

"Those assholes."

"Well lets' catch up to them," Jeremy responded, lacing up his boots already. Taylor pulled on an old pair of sneakers and grabbed her Carrhart jacket. Jeremy slipped into his leather jacket and followed her out the door.

"I'll drive," he suggested.

"Okay," she only agreed, because she'd rather catch up than argue. He turned the key and revved the engine, a country oldie was playing. Taylor made a disgusted face and stuck out her tongue.

"I don't understand how you can listen to this crap," She complained, switching it to a 93X.

"I kinda like that crap," he explained.

"Now, this, this is good music," she said tapping her foot to the beat feeling her adrenaline pump to the beat of the song. Jeremy just laughed, but after a minute he had his hand tapping on the steering wheel to the beat.

"So where're going first?"

"Oh right, we're gonna stop at Marie's, and your brothers told me to tell you that they want to meet at Sally's by noon."

Taylor glanced at the time on the radio, they had a few good hours and that would give them plenty of time.

"Okay, anyone else we can think of other than Marie, I don't think that Kelly had many other close friends at the bar."

"No, but I figure we could talk to Marie and see if she knows anyone else who saw her the night she disappeared.

Taylor looked over at Jeremy in admiration, "You're pretty good at this stuff."

He brushed his shoulder, "I try."

She laughed and turned up the music as they sped in the direction of Marie's house.

"I swear I didn't see anything strange that night, she left like any other night, nothing unusual happened," Marie answered, twisting her hands in her lap.

"Nobody unusual talked to her that night?" Taylor pried.

"No."

"Nobody followed her after she left."

"No, not that I saw."

"She didn't say anything about a strange guy that had been following her or talked to her?" Jeremy questioned.

"No, she didn't say anything."

--

"Well that was useless," Taylor said when they returned to Jeremy's bright red GT.

"You can say that again, she didn't even give us any other names."

Jeremy sighed and got into the car. Taylor followed suit, digging her phone out of her jacket pocket. She dialed Sam's number, hoping he would be more responsive than Dean would be.

"Taylor."

"Sam, did you guys find anything?"

"Nope, nothing, none of the neighbors saw anything that night and they never saw a strange man around the house at all."

Jeremy started up the Mustang and let it idle.

"We even went through Kelly's garbage to see if we could find anything that would lead us to believe that someone else had been there or anything."

"You did what?!"

Jeremy turned to stare at her, hearing the incredulous tone to her voice.

"Yeah and all we found were some lousy tampons," Dean yelled over Sam.

Taylor made a disgusted face, "So you want to meet early then."

"Yeah, what else is there to do?"

"Question the drunks," Taylor suggested.

"You actually think we'll get something out of them?"

"Maybe, it's worth a shot."

"Alright we'll meet you there in a few," Sam finished, hanging up.

Taylor looked over at Jeremy.

"Question drunks?"

"It's our last option," Taylor reasoned.

Jeremy shot her a skeptical look, "I'm beginning to think that the three of you take crazy pills."

Taylor looked at him amused, "Just drive."

"Easy for you to say, you're not sitting next to a crazy woman."

She hit him hard enough that he was rubbing it afterwards.

"You see what I mean."

She shot him a warning look and he grudgingly started the car.

"You promise not to hit me again?" he asked before pulling away from the curb.

She rolled her eyes towards him annoyed, "Don't be such a baby."

He grinned at her eye roll and started off towards Sally's.


	5. Reunion

_Hey guys, hope you enjoy this chapter. Things are just flying for me over here! I hope you're as excited as i am. _

_By the way i just wanted to remind you that this is set right after the second season, it will be important later._

_Thanks! Enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

"I'm telling you Taylor I didn't see nothing that night," Jim answered looking nervously at his beer.

It had been obvious that since Kelly started at Sally's that Jim had had a thing for Kelly. And Taylor looked at him now, unbelieving.

"You're gonna tell me that you didn't talk to her or anything that night?" Anger now built up in her chest.

"I didn't say that-."

"Jim, don't lie to me I can see right through your sorry ass-."

"Alright, Taylor I don't think the man knows anything," Sam said pulling her away from the bar and joining Dean and Jeremy at their table.

"He was lying through his teeth Sam," Taylor growled, but sat, although reluctantly, in her seat.

"Look, I don't think that he did anything, although his little obsession with Kelly, is…" he searched for the right word, "creepy, he's a nice guy, and I don't think he's the kind of guy to kidnap a girl. He doesn't have the guts," Jeremy explained, watching Jim at the bar.

"Thanks, Einstein," Taylor grumbled.

"Taylor!" a voice called from behind. When she turned a huge grin broke out on her face and she stood to give Sally a hug. The woman was shorter at 5'5" but she gave bear hugs like no other. Sally dragged her away from the table and over to the corner of the empty bar.

"You're looking good," Sally said, brushing a piece of Taylor's hair behind her ear.

"You too." Taylor grinned, elation growing in her chest. Sally was really a sight for sore eyes.

"Ah, you're sweet and really know how to make an old woman happy," Sally said, smiling back and throwing the towel she carried over her right shoulder. "So about the boy over there."

They both turned to look at Jeremy.

"What about him?" Taylor asked innocently.

"Oh you know what, has the Romeo proclaimed his love to the Juliet?"

Taylor laughed and blushed.

"So he has, do tell," Sally sat sitting Taylor and herself on either one the bar stools.

"It was really nothing Sally," Taylor started.

"Darling it's never nothing with that boy and you know it." Sally could always see through Taylor's crap. Taylor looked shyly over at Jeremy who was talking with Sam and Dean.

"I don't know Sally," Taylor sighed.

Sally looked at Taylor thoughtfully, "Have you told him how you feel?" Sally asked gently, laying her hand on Taylor's. Taylor looked at her surprised, but she shook her head.

"I don't know how I feel Sally."

"Taylor you can't fool me, you've known how you felt about that boy since the ninth grade."

Taylor blushed again, looking down at her lap.

"Sal, I can't give him a reason to follow me, you know how dangerous my job is, and I want him to have a normal life." Taylor sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Darling, I think it's too soon to make up his decisions for him," Sally said.

"What?"

"Let the man make up his own mind," Sally smiled at her then added, "After you tell him how you feel."

"But-."

"Ah, ah, you are not getting out of this one. The boy needs to be told," Sally looked over at him to see him laughing; Taylor followed her gaze her expression softened. "You love him don't you?"

Taylor looked into Sally's knowing eyes and nodded.

Sally laughed, throwing her head back, "Well then silly girl, tell him," her expression turned serious now, "and before you leave again, 'cause I don't want to see the look on that boys face again as I saw that day."

"What look?" Taylor pried, raising a brow.

Sally looked at her seriously, "Complete loss."

Taylor frowned and looked at Jeremy again, thinking of his words the night before.

"So," Sally said slapping her on the thigh, "Tell me all about your adventures."

--

As soon as Taylor left the table it became eerily quiet.

Sam broke it, trying to be friendly, "So, Jeremy what do you do for a living?"

Jeremy cleared his throat, "I'm a mechanic, I run the Stone Mechanic's down the road."

Dean sat forward trying not to show any interest, and took a swig of his beer.

"You went to school with Taylor didn't you?" Dean asked. Sam nudged him, and Dean gave him a "What?" look.

"No, Sam its okay, yeah I went to school with her, I was a grade above hers," Jeremy finished, taking a sip of his root beer.

"So you dated in high school?" Dean asked.

Jeremy choked on his mouthful of root beer, "No, no, it wasn't until after high school that we became friends."

"But you did know each other in high school?" Dean sat back; pleased with the reaction she had gotten out of him.

"Yeah, sort of, I mean if saw each other in the halls at school we'd said Hi. What really brought us together was after her mom died, she came to me with a lot of the stuff that she didn't feel like she could talk to Kelly about."

"Ah, so you were her release," Dean assumed.

"Dean!"

Jeremy leaned forward mouth set in a hard line, blue eyes blazing. "I don't know what you got against me Dean, but I haven't done anything to you. If anything I've been kind and respectful."

"Your boinking my sister I have every right to hate you," Dean stated calmly, expression blank.

"Dean!" Sam yelled.

"I am not, as you put it, _boinking_, your sister. I respect her."

"Sure you do, and that's why I heard you sneaking around last night."

"You were snoring like an elephant how did you hear anything?"

Dean choked on his beer, "I do not snore like an elephant," he growled.

"Sounded like it to me," Jeremy said smugly, sitting back in his chair.

Dean stopped and stared at him; Sam smiled and took a swig of his own beer.

"Whatever," Dean mumbled leaning back in his chair and turned his attention to one of the pool games.

"Is he always like this?" Jeremy asked Sam.

"What inappropriate and rude? Yeah, he's always like that," Sam joked.

Jeremy titled his head back and let out a laugh that seemed to rumble through the bar. Sam smiled at his own joke, when he glanced at Dean he was glaring.

"Don't be such a tight-ass Dean," Sam said slapping him on the back.

Dean opened his mouth to retort, but Taylor dragged Sally back over to the table then.

"Okay," Taylor said, "Sally this is Dean." Dean just grunted. "And this is Sam."

"Hi."

"Hi Sam," Sally responded smiling. "And hey to you cowboy," she said flicking Jeremy with her towel.

"Hey, Sally."

"How you been boy?"

"Doing okay…" he paused looking at Taylor, "Now."

"Well that's just fine," she turned to Dean and Sam again nudging Taylor in the side, "it was nice meeting you boys but if I leave Bob in the kitchen any longer he might just set his hairy face on fire." With that she started back towards the kitchen. Taylor, still grinning, plopped back into the empty chair between Dean and Jeremy.

"Well guys, I think it's time we talked about Kelly, but how 'bout over a game of pool."

"Sounds good to me," Sam agreed, shoving Dean a little, who just grumbled.

"We can play teams," Taylor said, "and the game's on me."

"I'm in," Jeremy said getting up.

"Me too," Sam said, following suit.

"Dean?" Taylor urged. He looked at each of their faces.

"Alright," he grumbled.

--

By the time their game had gotten started, a rush of people came into the bar ordering food and getting drinks at the long bar.

"Okay, so who did you guys talk to?" Taylor asked shooting, the ball and sinking a striped.

Sam picked up his beer, "We went the rounds on all the neighbors on the block, no one heard or saw anything. What about you guys?"

Taylor positioned herself for the next shot, "Marie didn't know anything, didn't see anything and Kelly didn't tell her anything." She took the shot and got another striped. Dean swore under his breath. Jeremy shot him an amused glance. Taylor looked at Sam leaning on her pool stick, "I mean you would think that she would have called me if some guy was following her, or at least tell Jeremy. We're her closest friends, she would have told us first."

"So you don't think this was planned?" Sam asked.

"Definitely not, one of us would have known," Taylor answered lining up for the next shot, she took it and the ball clicked merrily into the slot.

"I think the real question here," Dean started, "is, how is a _girl_, kicking my ass at this game?"

Taylor and Jeremy laughed as if sharing a secret joke.

"Dean, I used to play tournaments against drunks when I was 13, do you think I'm going to let you beat me?" Another ball clicked into place, "I don't think so. I mean I practically lived in this place as a kid. My mom and Sally were best friends and when my mom was feeling well, she would work back in the kitchen cooking. She loved being here."

Taylor looked thoughtful before taking the next shot, and finally missed.

"Jesus finally," Dean said, lining up the pool stick.

"Hey," Jeremy said hitting Taylor playfully on the arm, "you remember that time that your mom was working and you were here scamming some of the old guys in pool."

"Yeah, you swaggered in, thinking you were some big shot, and bet me fifty bucks that you could beat me."

"And you led me to believe that I was winning, until half through, when you started kicking my ass."

Taylor laughed.

Sam watched them remember, watching how they acted around each other, smiling to himself, his thoughts somehow finding their way back to Jessica.

"Yeah," Taylor started again, "I remember like it was yesterday, I was 16 and felt like I was on top of the world."

Jeremy smiled fondly at her, "I was 17 and pissed that this 16-year-old-shrimp had beaten me at pool."

Taylor shrugged a sweet smile on her face, "Finally got you to notice me."

They shared a sweet yet sad look.

"Hey love birds, it's your turn," Dean announced, indignantly.

Jeremy broke the look and took his turn. Sam watched Taylor watching Jeremy fondly and he remembered something. He nudged Dean urgently.

"Dean," he whispered.

"What?" Dean said, disgruntled. He was watching Jeremy intently hoping that he would scratch.

"Now would be a good time to tell Taylor about the sulfur."

Surprised Dean looked at him, "Now dude? That's all you can think of when we're losing?"

Sam rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, "Dean." Exasperation was present.

"Oh, alright, but you get to tell her."

"Fine," Sam huffed. "Taylor, uh, we found something in Kelly's house."

Taylor froze and locked eyes with him, "What kind of something?"

Jeremy paused, and looked at Taylor, curious about the tone. He took the shot then and scratched.

"Yes!" Dean yelled and pumped a fist.

"Dean!"

"Okay, Taylor we found sulfur lining the edges of one of Kelly's windows."

"Sulfur," Taylor murmured looking at the floor eyes searching for the answer. After a second she looked up eyes knowing. "Are you telling me that Kelly's disappearance has something to do with a goddamn demon?!" She growled the last word.

Jeremy stood then, expression confused and serious.

"Taylor we don't know, it could be-."

"This damn job, no matter how hard we try to keep it from following us home it does anyway." She threw her pool stick on the table, ruining their game.

"Taylor, it's not your fault," Sam said.

"No Sam," Taylor said anger and tears taking over, "it is my fault, because of the life we live my friend is missing and it has something to do with a demon."

"Okay," Jeremy said, calmly putting his pool stick down on the table. "It's time to let me in on the big secret."

Taylor turned towards him, "Jer, its better that you don't know, you're safer that way."

"Enough with the bullshit Taylor, you left the life you had to go do this stupid job and I've been worrying for the whole time you've been gone. Now tell me again that I don't have a right to know."

Taylor looked at him sadly, caught between, wanting to keep him safe and wanting to tell him. She looked around then and noticed that most eyes were on them.

"Alright," she sighed, rubbing a hand across her forehead, "upstairs."

Jeremy nodded and followed her towards the stairs. Dean stormed after them, Sam afraid to let Dean go at them, reluctantly followed, knowing he would be between them, like he always seemed to be. They all climbed the stairs silently and when they arrived in the upstairs party room Taylor shut the door behind them. Dean started in right away.

"You're not just going to tell him!" he bellowed.

Taylor glared at him, "I have no other choice Dean."

He moved closer getting in her face, "We go around keeping our secret because it safe for us and other people we care about."

"You don't think I know that Dean!" she yelled back. Something in her eyes had him backing down. He looked closer and found that it was love. He looked at the wooden planks of the floor remembering Cassie.

Angry tears crowded in her eyes; she shoved them away with the back of her hand. When she could see clearly she looked over at Jeremy.

"Jeremy, you have to know, I've always wanted to tell you," Taylor started turning around, thinking it would be easier, if she didn't see the pain on his face.

"Then why didn't you tell me? It can't hurt anymore not knowing than knowing. I mean the whole while you were gone, I was wondering, because I didn't know what was going on, and if you were alright."

"I know," she choked back a sob, "but it was better that you didn't know, because I didn't want you coming after me." She took a deep breath and turned around, to look into his deep blue eyes, searching for comfort, but found none. "Look, the things that me and my brothers do, you have to know, that this may sound crazy."

"I'm up for crazy."

She shook her head looking down at the floor. Sam and Dean stood quietly watching her inner turmoil feeling the same pain.

"It started with my dad-."

"-Your dad? What does he have to do with anything," Jeremy asked incredulously.

"He has everything to do with it, if it hadn't been for the death of their mother," he motioned towards her brothers. "John Winchester would have never become a hunter."

"A hunter?"

"Yes, a hunter, and not a deer hunter but," she took another deep breath, "but someone who hunts evil."

There was silence.

"Like demons," Jeremy started.

"You're catching on," Taylor said sarcastically.

"Taylor, that's not so crazy." She looked up at him, surprised. "I mean someone has to protect us from the things that go bump in the night."

The three siblings looked at him in amazement.

"You are some piece of work Jeremy Stone," Taylor finally said.

Jeremy smiled, then turned towards her brothers, "So you guys hunt demons?"

"Yeah," Sam answered, "and ghosts and anything that's supernatural."

Jeremy nodded taking it all in.

"I guess I can see why you felt like you couldn't tell me," he said to Taylor, "is this why you left after your mom died?"

Taylor nodded, "I had to find the piece of me that was missing."

"Why couldn't you just be an elementary school teacher?" Jeremy sighed after a moment of silence.

Taylor laughed, "I don't do so well with screaming little kids."

Jeremy smiled at her, and then held out his arms. She collapsed into his comforting embrace, unsure of where to go next.

"Just because you hunt demons, doesn't mean I'm going to love you any less," Jeremy whispered in her ear.

Taylor sobbed, "How do you always know the right thing to say?"

He pulled away to look into her teary green eyes, "Lots of practice."

She let out a wet laugh.

"I hate to break up a beautiful thing, but we still have a pool game to finish," Dean interrupted.

Taylor rolled her eyes toward him, "You're just pissed because a girl is kicking your ass."

Jeremy and Sam laughed. Dean fumed.

"No I'm pissed because I still haven't gotten a turn."

"Liar." Taylor started out the door and down the stairs. Sam and Jeremy exchanged amused glances and followed.

"I'm letting you win," Dean retorted.

Taylor's light airy laughter floated up the stairs and back into the nearly empty room.

--

When she knew it was safe the girl emerged from the serving area, next to the party room. Her green eyes stared at the door that the group had left through. She blinked and her eyes turned a horrible pitch black, when she blinked again, she joined in Taylor's laughter. She knew that it was time to show herself; it was time to put the plan into action. With that she turned back into the serving area and went down the back stairs. She left through the back door and set her path towards Taylor's house. She was going to give them a surprise visit.


	6. Visitor

_Hey guys, this one's moving pretty fast! hope you enjoy it!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters Sam and Dean Winchester, or the original story line from _Supernatural_._

* * *

"I still don't want to believe that Kelly's disappearance had anything to do with a demon," Taylor said choosing the chair over the couch.

"Well, like you said yourself, if some guy had followed her, or been stalking her, you or Jeremy would have been the first to know," Sam pointed out, relaxing onto the couch, next to the still disgruntled Dean.

Taylor thought about Jeremy, missing his presence now that he was gone. He had just dropped her off, with a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'm gonna go to bed," Dean announced getting up.

"Spoiled sport," Taylor said under her breath.

"What was that?" Dean whirled.

"You heard me." Taylor's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Whatever I'm too tired to argue," Dean said starting up the stairs.

"Anyway," Taylor started turning back to Sam, "I guess the whole demon theory explains the valuables that weren't stolen and her not contacting me or Jeremy."

"I feel a but coming," Sam returned, leaning forward.

"But, Sam," Taylor leaned forward too, "the question is, why would a demon kidnap Kelly and make it look like a kidnapping?"

Sam leaned back thinking. There was a silence in the room between them.

"Honestly, Taylor, I don't know," Sam said after a moment, "but I'm guessing the demon knows us and has some sort of grudge against the Winchesters or you."

"But I haven't come across any demons yet, we've really only been on a few hunts. Who did I piss off that quick?"

Sam shrugged, "Doesn't take much to piss off a demon."

"Ok," Dean started entering the room again, wearing his jeans and a grey t-shirt, "I can't sleep, that bed really sucks."

Sam and Taylor looked at him but ignored his comment as he sat next to Sam on the couch.

The front door swung open and a gust of wind blew through the front opening and into the living room. The three of them turned to the door, Taylor let out a yelp.

"Kelly?!" Taylor rushed over and helped the out of breath girl off the floor and into the living room. She sat Kelly in the chair she had just occupied and handed her a blanket. Sam and Dean stared unable to believe their eyes.

Taylor was fussing over her, hugging her and crying.

"I got away Taylor," Kelly sobbed, "I got away from the demon that was holding me hostage."

"Shhh," Taylor whispered, holding her friend, "its okay, you're safe now."

"How did you know it was a demon?" Sam asked suspiciously.

Taylor turned looking at him disgustedly.

"I-I, she showed me her eyes, and I asked her what she was, she told me," Kelly stuttered, wiping some of the tears away.

"It's okay, Kelly, don't mind them," Taylor said.

"Kelly can you tell us what happened?" Dean asked gently, coming to stand near the chair. "From the beginning."

Kelly took a ragged breath, looking at Taylor with searching eyes.

"It's okay Kel you can tell him," Taylor urged.

She took another deep breath and began, "Well I had just gotten home from work and saw my house in pieces and as I was standing in the doorway looking at the mess someone grabbed me from behind me and blindfolded me. The next thing I knew I was thrown into the trunk of a car. The person pulled me back out of the car after about five minutes of driving and dragged me into a building and tied me to a chair. That's where she took the blindfold off and started questioning me about where you were. She kept me there for days," Kelly sobbed now.

"Did you see what she looked like?" Dean asked, crouching down next to the chair.

"No, she always staying in the shadows, I barely ever saw what she looked like."

"Did she hurt you?" Sam asked.

Kelly nodded wearily, "Sometimes she would hit me, but other than that no."

"Don't worry Kelly," Taylor comforted, "you're safe now."

Sam and Dean exchanged suspicious glances. Kelly sniffled and pulled the blanket around her further.

"Uh, I'll go make some coffee," Sam suggested, heading towards the kitchen.

"Good idea," Dean said, sitting back on the couch.

"Can I get you anything for now Kelly?" Taylor asked.

"Um, could I just use the bathroom?" She asked.

"Yeah, go ahead."

Kelly got shakily up from the chair and left the room.

"I can't believe it Dean," Taylor sighed.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either," Dean mumbled.

--

Sam went about making coffee, like any other time. Like Taylor's missing friend wasn't sitting in the living room right now. Sam knew something was missing, how the hell did she get away from a demon? It wasn't possible. He furrowed his brow thinking as he filled the pot up with water to pour into the maker.

"Don't think too hard," a voice said behind him.

Sam turned around slowly and Kelly was smiling sweetly at him.

Sam eyed her suspiciously.

"You were always the smart one Sam, especially like last time, figuring it out about the boy and then saving the day. Smooth." Kelly leaned on the counter a few feet away from Sam.

Sam stared at her confused, then slowly it came back to him. On their last hunt when he had found solved the case and saved Taylor before the boy came back to finish the job.

"Ria."

"In the flesh."

Sam smirked disgustedly, "Cute."

"I thought so," she said moving closer.

Sam tensed as she approached.

"What do you want? Why are you torturing that poor girl?" Sam pointed to Kelly's body.

"I'm getting to that, but first I need you out of the picture. We wouldn't want you telling Taylor that her friend is possessed by a demon, now would we?" As Ria spoke, Sam reached for one of mugs he had taken out for coffee.

"Uh, uh, Sammy," Ria said, grabbing the cup from him before he could smash it over her head. "You need to be quiet."

She put a hard hand over his mouth, twisting his other hand so hard he heard his wrist snap. He cried out in pain against her hand. She led him to the back door and pushed him outside onto the wet grass.

"No more fighting Sammy, or I'll break your other wrist," Ria whispered harshly.

Sam clutched his wrist in pain as he sat on the ground. Ria kicked him in the thigh.

"Let's go, get in the shed."

Sam glared at her but did as she said, figuring he could always get out, rather than having something else broken. He crawled in the shed, and sat against the bottom shelves, grimacing in pain. Ria looked around the shed and found some rope and a handkerchief that she would use as a gag. She reached behind him to tie his hands silently, then his feet and last stuffed the gag into his mouth tying it behind his head.

"There now," she said, smiling evilly, "you stay quiet Sammy; I wouldn't want to have to come back out here now." With that she shut off the light and closed the shed door behind her, leaving Sam in the pitch black.

* * *

"What is taking Sam so long and where is Kelly?" Taylor wondered out loud. She stood from the chair and walked into the kitchen. Kelly was helping herself to some of the freshly brewed coffee.

"Where's Sam?" Taylor asked looking around.

"He said something about needing something out of the car," Kelly said, shrugging and taking another sip of her coffee. Taylor kept her face normal but she thought it was weird of Sam. She shrugged and pulled out her cell phone thinking of Jeremy, figuring she would call him and tell him about Kelly.

"Who are you calling?" Kelly asked.

"Jeremy, I'm just gonna let him know that you're safe," Taylor explained.

"No!" Kelly almost shouted.

Taylor almost dropped her phone and ended the call, "Why?"

"Well, because it's late and I'd rather just rest tonight, we can call him tomorrow."

Again Taylor thought this was strange but she put her phone away. Kelly didn't really seem like herself, but Taylor comforted herself with the thought that she had just been kidnapped, she was allowed to act weird.

"Hey," Dean said coming into the room, "where's Sam?"

"He said something about needing something out of the car."

Dean shot Kelly a suspicious look but went outside to look for Sam. There was no sign of him by the car, Dean called out his name a few times, but there was no answer. Dean stormed back into the house.

"What the hell did you do with Sam?" Dean yelled at Kelly.

"Dean!" Taylor yelled back.

"Taylor, listen to me, that's not Kelly, and if it is, there's a demon possessing her. And she did something to Sam." Dean growled the last sentence. Dean started towards Kelly, but stopped when an evil smile spread wide across her face. She blinked exposing pitch black eyes.

"I didn't think you two idiots would figure it out so quick."


	7. The Deal

Sam struggled with the ties behind his back, his muscles strained as he pulled the ropes taught.

"Damn that girl knows how to make a knot," Sam mumbled behind the gag. He wriggled around in the dark, thrashing his legs and his arms, but no matter what he did the ties didn't loosen. He swore under his breath and tried to reach for the pocket knife in his jacket pocket. His fingers brushed the handle, but he couldn't stretch any farther. He swore again, the gag muffling it. He squinted his eyes against the dark to see if he could find any sharp object to cut the rope. It was useless there wasn't even a small window in the shed and it was dark outside anyway. He sighed, then started feeling behind him for anything that could cut the ties. He scooted around on the dusty floor, feeling around as best as he could in the immense darkness. Finally his hands grabbed a hold of something, he yanked it and a pole came crashing down on his head. He grumbled and swore again. But he held on to the end of it, he felt around on the metal for a second and realized it was a gardening hoe. Sam rolled his eyes, but righted the pole again and started to cut the ropes on the sharp metal.

Once free, he pulled the gag out of his mouth and untied his feet. He hopped to his feet and started searching for the light. It took him a few minutes to find it. He flipped it on and stood, eyes adjusting to the light, staring at all the hunting equipment in from of him. He had a whole arsenal all to himself. Thinking quickly he grabbed a bag of rock salt, a whole jug of holy water and looked for a piece of chalk, or something to draw with. When he didn't find anything, he started digging through the shelves. The only thing he found was a silver permanent marker, shrugging he stuffed it into his back pocket.

He quietly snuck out of the shed, the bag of salt under one arm and the water under the other. He ran across the damp yard and set the water next to the backdoor and ripped open the bag of rock salt. Then he went around the house pouring salt against the windows and doors, this demon wasn't going anywhere.

When he got back around he went back over to the shed to find a ladder, he found a foldable one resting against the wall of the shed. He quickly dragged it back to the house and unfolded it so it met the roof.

_One last precaution_, he thought to himself as he climbed the ladder. He froze halfway up when he heard the scream. _Taylor!_ His head screamed at him, he hurried up the rest of the ladder he would have to work fast.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Taylor and Dean were thrown against the kitchen wall held up by an invisible force. Taylor struggled against the force, trying to thrash her limbs around, but after a minute she gave up panting. She heard Dean grunt with effort of trying to break away from the force.

"What do you want bitch?" Taylor growled menacingly.

"Now, Taylor is that anyway to talk to an old friend?" Kelly replied frowning.

"You're not Kelly."

Kelly's body clapped, "Good job Taylor do you want a cookie."

"Go to hell!" Taylor screamed, struggling against the force again.

"Oh, honey, I've already been there and back," Kelly's face smiled fiercely.

Taylor looked at the face of her friend sadly knowing that somewhere in that body her friend was trapped.

"If it's me you want, why don't you just let her go?" Taylor hung her head, a sign of defeat.

Kelly's hands ran up and down her body, "Oh, I'm not done with her yet, I like this body."

"Just let her go you freak!"

"Ouch, Taylor now that really hurt," she paused moving closer, "but I'm not done with you yet."

Dean just watched Taylor's struggle to stay calm as she watched the body of her friend move and talk and know that somewhere trapped in that body a girl was being tortured. He struggled again against the hold against his body, but it was futile.

Something broke through then on Kelly's face, a panic, and her body seemed to slouch and fal1.

"Kelly!"

Pleading green eyes looked up at Taylor, not that same evil that had been there before. "Taylor, help me," a quiet voice whispered, "I can't hold on much longer."

Then the evil face was back and her body was standing straight.

"She got away on me for a second there, she has a strong spirit," Kelly smiled viciously.

"You let her go or I swear to God!" Taylor yelled.

"Oh, Taylor, honey," a crooked smile played across her face, "don't you realize that God has nothing to do with this."

Taylor growled and struggled against the hold, which now crushed the breath out of her. Kelly turned and paced the kitchen.

"The more you struggle the more I'm going to hold you down."

Kelly turned back to them eyes serious now. "I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet."

"Figured out what?" Taylor pried.

"You mean to say that you don't remember me?" Kelly put a hand to her heart and looked astonished.

Taylor studied her confused.

"You really don't," Kelly put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I thought you of all people would remember me. I mean as soon as we met you hated me, with a passion might I add."

Taylor hung there for a second, then it dawned on her, the way she talked and walked around did remind her of someone.

"Ria?"

Kelly nodded at their shocked expressions and applauded again. "Really we should give this girl a cookie."

Taylor's eyes darkened with anger and she glowered at Ria.

"What-are-you-doing-in-my-friends-body?" she asked very slowly.

"Hold your horses I'm getting to that part," Kelly said pacing the kitchen again.

Taylor looked over at Dean who was watching Ria with an angry intensity.

"You know, I still can't believe you idiots didn't figure it out when I, coincidentally followed you into the room and got locked in there with you the whole night. And the whole night none of you figured out that I was a demon," she paused in her pacing, "either I'm that good, or you Winchesters really aren't all you're cracked up to be."

"You tried to freakin' kill us!" Taylor screamed.

"Unh uh, Taylor," Ria held up a finger, and as she did the force crushed against Taylor again, causing her to choke on her breath. Dean struggled against his own in his willingness to get to his sister. "You have to wait your turn."

"I'm sorry about the whole threatening your life thing, I was really just playing a part," Ria explained.

"Yeah, well, you're not that good of an actress."

Again the force crushed against Taylor's chest, making her breath wheeze in and out, she started to cough.

"Stop it!" Dean yelled, struggling.

"Now, if you would only let me finish my explanation," Ria whispered darkly, her eyes were dangerous. She turned and let the hold loose on Taylor. Taylor coughed and wheezed for a second. Dean studied his sister with worry, then turned an angry glare back to Ria. Who met that glare with the same force.

"All right, play time is over," she started, looking away from Dean, "I really do have a purpose for being here." She turned and walked to one of the chairs, pulling it up in front of them. "That whole story I pulled back at the Red Hills, wasn't a complete lie." She paused reading their guarded expressions. She sat in the chair backwards and laid her head on top of her arms. "The part about me being there because of your dad was true, not the part about your daddy killing my daddy. But I was curious when I found out that John Winchester was somehow contacting his kids even from his very, shallow grave." She smiled at them. "Because a long time ago, before you were even born Taylor, your dad made a deal with me. The deal was simple I tell him where the yellow-eyed demon was, he give me the colt."

Recognition flashed in Dean's eyes.

"Oh, so you know of it, I'd thought so. Because I promised him that if he tried to pull anything, anything at all then I would hurt a member of his precious family." She smiled evilly again. She moved from the chair to pace again. "Well at first I actually thought that a Winchester had gone through with a deal. But after a few years I realized the gun wasn't real."

"So where do we come into all of this?" Dean asked.

"Oh Dean it's not you, this one is all about Taylor, because shortly after I found out the gun wasn't real I found out about Amy Rosenhaul."

Taylor gasped.

"That's right Taylor, and I figured a change of pace was nice, so I gave your mother a slow, deadly cancer, that would inevitably end up in her death and cause your father lots of pain. Because I saw how much he loved her, even after Mary."

"How do you know-!"

"Dean I know everything there is to know about your family, I mean who doesn't down there." She pointed towards the floor. She laughed maliciously.

"You killed my mother," Taylor said. Her eyes were dark and dangerous and her hair hung around her face, guarding her expression.

"Yeah, and all because of some stupid thing your father did," she paused smiling deviously up at Taylor, who had started to shed angry tears. "Now, when I heard that your father was contacting you, I figured it had something to do with the location of the colt. And all I get is some bullshit on how much he's sorry about keeping secrets. Waste of my freakin' time!" She yelled the last sentence. "Now", she whirled around eyes black as night. "Where the hell is the colt?"

Taylor shook her head pleading, "I don't know-."

The eyes flickered, "Wrong answer."

Taylor screamed in pain and blood began to pour from her mouth and nose. She choked and coughed, struggling to breath.

Dean cried out and used all his strength against the hold, but yet it still held.

Taylor hung limp now against her hold, blood soaking her shirt and dripping from her face, her breathing was shallow and labored.

"Now, let me ask that again," Ria started.

"We don't know where the gun is. The damn demon that killed my father took it." His voice was hoarse, with tears and worry, his gaze never moved off of Taylor's lifeless body.

"You mean the yellow-eyed demon?"

"Yeah that bastard."

"If that's true give me a reason why I shouldn't just kill your sister right now?" Ria took a step closer.

A shout erupted from the back door; their attention was distracted as Sam charged through the back door. The jug of holy water was uncapped and he threw it towards Ria.

She let out a high pitched scream and her body steamed and blistered.

"Dean, quick," Sam yelled, as Dean and Taylor were freed from the hold, "get Dad's journal!"

Sam saw him disappear into the living room, then looked at Taylor slumped against the wall, bloody and barely breathing.

Ria's screamed stopped and she looked up towards the ceiling and smiled, then looked back at Sam.

That's the thing about drawing the devil's trap on the roof Sammy, there's always a crack you're gonna miss."

She grinned crookedly as Sam knelt on the floor next to his sister.

"I really don't want to miss anymore fun, but I think I've exceeded my welcome here. Catch ya later, Sammy." With that the demon left Kelly's body, the black demon pooled up on the ceiling into a thick black smoke. When all of it was out of Kelly's now limp body lying on the floor, it exited through one of the kitchen windows. Leaving behind it chaos and pain.


	8. Injuries and Casualties

_Hey guys almost done! I'm thinking one last chapter before the end. This has been one roller coaster ride! I thank all of you for reading!_

_Enjoy the chapter!_

Taylor slowly drifted into consciousness, pulled by the low hum of voices around her. She tried to shift her weight but all her limbs felt like they were a thousand pounds. She tried to say something, get her mouth to work, but all that came out was an indistinguishable grunt. She attempted to open her eyes, but they just fluttered and fell back down, she rolled the rock that was her head.

"Taylor?" The words came through fuzzy and muffled.

She tried to say "What?" but it came out as a soft moan. She opened her eyes again this time they stayed open but everything was blurry for a second. When her vision cleared she saw that Jeremy was sitting next to her and Sam and Dean were standing at the end of her bed.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," he greeted, brushing her hair away from her face.

She opened her mouth taking a breath before she answered, but felt her lung constrict causing her to wheeze and cough. Dean was at her other side at once, followed by Sam.

"Hey, take it easy, that demon broke your rib and collapsed your lung. The doctors had to put a tube in your chest to relieve the pain and help your lung heal. They'll probably take it out in a few days. They drugged you up so that you wouldn't feel the pain. Your break was pretty severe and it will take a few months to heal, with lots of meds," Dean said quietly, his eyes set on hers concern filling them. He gave a small smile, "You're gonna be drugged up for a while." He laid his hand gently on her arm, when she groaned, then she tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace, when pain shot into her chest as she breathed again. It felt like someone had stabbed her right through the ribs. She reached up to lay her boulder of a hand on her chest. Jeremy took that hand.

"I'm glad that you're okay," he said. When she turned to look at him his deep blue eyes were warm, a small crooked smile on his face. She returned the smile, as the memories started to return, she turned back to her brothers.

"So what happened after I passed out? Tell me you sent that damn demon back to hell."

Her brothers exchanged anxious glances.

"Sam? Dean?"

"I tried Taylor, I even drew the devil's trap on the roof but she still got away," Sam explained.

"You mean to tell me that that demon is still out there somewhere?" Her voice was low and her eyes dark.

"I'm sorry Taylor," Sam said. "She gave me a good fight, I mean, she even broke my wrist, though I forgot about it until I got here and it hurt. I was more worried about you, then sending some demon back to hell."

"Don't worry we'll get it," Dean added, encouragingly, his face was set in determination.

"Yeah, I'm not going to stop until I find that bitch and send her back to hell, especially after she killed my mom and hurt Kelly," she paused to look at their surprised faces. "Speaking of Kelly is she okay?"

Her brothers look at anything but her, then they looked over at Jeremy.

Taylor turned towards him, "What? Is it that bad?"

Jeremy looked down, before he met hers eyes, his now filled with despair.

"What? Will someone tell me what's going on?"

"Taylor, honey," Jeremy started, "it's not good-."

"What do you mean she's okay isn't she?"

Jeremy shook his head, "She's in critical condition. That demon beat her up pretty bad."

Taylor choked back a sob, as a dense panic filled her abdomen and grew until it reached her chest, making her feel sick. "What the hell are you doing in here? We have to go see her. Why aren't you with her?"

"Taylor-."

"No, we're going now," she started to get out of the hospital bed, but once her feet hit the floor, her legs collapsed underneath her. Jeremy's strong arms came around her, sitting her back on the bed.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Get me a damn wheel chair I'm not gonna sit here-," her breath caught, Jeremy crouched to meet her eyes.

"Don't worry okay, we'll see her," Jeremy explained gently.

"Bring me to Kelly." Jeremy nodded and found a folded wheel chair sitting against one of the walls. He wheeled it over to the bed and helped Taylor into it.

The trip to Kelly's room seemed to take forever, Jeremy wheeling her through the white halls, passing nurses and patients. Her brothers followed along quietly. When they reached the doorway Taylor felt apprehension creep into her stomach. She looked up at Jeremy for support, who smiled back down at her encouragingly then wheeled her over to the bed where Kelly laid unconscious. Her brothers stayed by the door, giving them privacy.

Jeremy set her chair on one side, facing the door, and walked over to the other side of the bed. Taylor studied her friend, there were so many tubes and monitors. The sight was too familiar for her liking. Taking a deep breath and trying to forget the memories of another time that were rushing back and took her friends hand.

"Kelly?" she asked stroking her hand. "I'm so sorry," her breath caught as the tears came. "This is all my fault, because of this stupid job, I put everyone in danger. Especially you since you're so close to me. I'm so sorry." Tears ran freely down her cheeks now.

"Please," she said "Please, don't leave me now, I don't think I could loose you too." She put her friends hand against her wet cheek. For a second there was silence, and then the sound of her friend stirring from sleep.

Taylor perked up, "Kelly?"

Her friends eyes fluttered then finally opened, the bright green settled on her.

"Taylor," Kelly gave a weak smile.

Taylor sobbed, "Thank God."

"I'm glad you're here."

"Me too." Taylor smiled wetly now.

Kelly expression became troubled and sad. "I was awake for some of it Taylor."

"I'm sorry," Taylor sobbed.

"Don't blame yourself that's the last thing I want you to do."

"I'm responsible for this-."

"Stop," Kelly said, then grimaced with pain. "You're the strongest person I know, you can handle anything. "

New tears rolled down Taylor's face as Kelly's face became pained. The monitors started to beep a little faster. Taylor looked around frantically.

"Kelly, no! Don't leave me."

"Taylor," Kelly breathed, her gaze following Taylor's movements. "I love you girl. Stay strong for me. Do what you love." Taylor had let go of her hand in the confusion and Kelly grabbed it now, holding as tight as she could with her weakening body. "Remember Taylor, I will always be with you no matter what, you're my best friend and I'll never forget you." A few tears slid down Kelly's cheeks as Taylor was wrenched away from her friend, whose eyes slid closed for the last time.

"NO!" Taylor screamed, Jeremy was immediately at her side, holding her from getting up. Sobs racked her body as she watched the nurses perform CPR on her friend. One of the nurses wheeled in a machine and charged it up before electrocuting her body.

Taylor hung her head as she watched the last piece of hope she had fade away with her best friend.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The early morning sky was grey and overburdened with heavy clouds. Everything had a dark tint to it. The prayers had already been said and many of the spectators and other guests had left. But the five of them stood in front of the flower laden casket.

Taylor wiped the last few remnants of tears from her eyes, and laid her own flower on the casket, pausing as she touched the cool polished wood saying her last goodbye.

Her brothers stayed back farther watching the scene play out. Sally was openly crying. Jeremy stood very still watching Taylor his anguish kept under tight control, but his eyes expressed everything. Taylor stepped away from the casket again, she held her head high a took a deep breath as the first few drops of rain fell over them. She smiled as best as she could at Sally as she took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Sally looked at her sadly and pulled her into a long hug. Taylor hugged back trying to hold back the tears.

The drive home was quiet as Taylor sat silently in the back of the Impala. Sam sent worried glances back to her every once in a while but she ignored them and watched out the window. Jeremy had promised to meet them back at her house after he gave Sally a ride home. When Dean pulled up against the curb, Taylor got out first, hurried to the front door unlocked it and went up to her room to change out of her black clothes into comfortable jeans and an old worn dark grey t-shirt. When she was finished she sat back on her bed. She touched the locket around her neck, then went to unhook it and held it in her hand. She felt the tears start to bubble up again as she opened it. Her smiling mother looked up at her from the tiny photograph. She rubbed the other empty side with her thumb absently. _Now I'm going to have to get picture for Kelly._ She thought, as a few tears escaped.

A knock came at her door and before she could answer the door opened and Sam's head appeared. He was still wearing his suit. She wiped her tears away as he joined her on the bed.

He put his hand gently on her knee, "How're doing?" His eyes were soft and kind.

"Okay, considering," she said playing with the locket.

"I'm so sorry, Taylor."

She moved her left arm out behind her and grimace with pain at her broken rib, and held her side.

"Why is everyone apologizing to me?" She asked, through clenched teeth.

"You just lost your best friend."

"Yeah, well-."

"I know how you feel, I mean I was cynical after I lost Jess too, but after a while the pain becomes a dull throb."

"Easier for you to say," she said getting up slowly, favoring her left side.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that what helped me out was moving away, a change of scenery. Stop seeing everything that reminded me of her."

"So you're saying that it's time for us to leave."

Sam nodded solemnly.

Taylor gave a heavy sigh, and leaned up against the wall next to her door.

"It's Jeremy isn't it?" Sam asked, studying her with knowing eyes.

This time Taylor nodded and looked down at her painted toenails.

"We just haven't figured everything out, and I don't want to leave where we did when I left the first time."

Sam stood and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Maybe the best thing for you guys too, is some time apart to think things over."

Taylor smiled a little, "I'm glad you're here Sam. You're like the voice of reason in the back of my head." Her throat clogged at the end and she looked up at Sam teary-eyed. She sniffled and hugged Sam, trying not to cry into his shirt. He wrapped his warm arms around her with a brotherly affection.

"Everything will work out, just give it some time," he whispered into her hair. He pulled her away and smiled down at her, before going into his bedroom to change. Taylor sighed again and looked around her room; she was definitely going to miss it. But Sam had a point; they needed to move on especially her.

Willie burst into her room then and jumped onto her bed purring loudly. She went over to stroke him, knowing she couldn't leave him behind again. She'd have to dig his cage out. She bent slowly to pull her bag out from underneath the bed trying not to hurt her rib. A damn month or two before it would heal, she was going to send that damn demon back to hell the first chance she got.

"Taylor!" a voice called up the stairs. She recognized it as Jeremy's and went down the stairs to join him.

"Hey I'm sorry I can't stay. Brad needs me down at the shop today."

"Okay," Taylor said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah if you have to go, it's not a big deal."

His eyes softened, "Thank you." He took her head between his hands and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before he left again. Taylor watched him leave out the window. She waited until she couldn't see his car again and then went back upstairs to finish packing.


	9. Goodbyes

_Hey guys this has been great fun! But all fun has to come to an end right? Well please send me some good feedback on what you thought. I'll be working on the next story very soon! So I hope you guys enjoyed this one! _

_Enjoy the last chapter!_

They decided as a group that they would all leave in the afternoon, early evening if it came to that. Then the three of them all went to their own rooms to pack, the boys were the first done then they loaded up the Impala and were ready to go. But Taylor hung around making sure that she got everything that she needed and wanted. She even made them head over to Kelly's house to collect some of her things before her house was cleared out. She didn't take many things, only the things she could handle taking, like pictures and other knick knacks.

She hovered at the front door, while her brothers waited behind her on the sidewalk. Dean tapped his foot impatiently, but Sam stood silently, knowing her apprehension of leaving. When Taylor thought she was ready to leave, she slowly closed the door, saying her last goodbye.

The next stop was Sally's. Taylor went in by herself while her brothers waited in the Impala parked next to her Camero. She found Sally working the bar. Sally smiled sadly at her and moved around the bar right away and hugged her.

"Life moves on huh?" Sally asked sadly. Taylor tugged on the sleeve of her Carrhart.

"Yeah, and my time to leave has come again."

"I'm so sorry about Kelly," Sally apologized.

Taylor gritted her teeth, "You loved her too."

Sally looked at the wooden floor, "Yeah, she was like my other daughter."

Taylor felt bad then, "I just can't but help feeling like it's my fault."

"Oh, honey," Sally hugged her again, teary now, "it's not your fault, none of it is."

Taylor looked away, knowing that no matter how many times someone said that, it would always be her fault.

Sally turned back to her now, a smirk on her face, "So are you gonna tell that boy you love him or am I gonna have to do it for you."

Taylor grinned, "No he was my next stop."

"Good for you go get him girl."

They smiled at each other for a minute.

Taylor shuffled her feet, knowing a goodbye was inevitable.

"Well, my brothers are waiting so I'd better go."

"Okay, just one more hug," Sally said, pulling Taylor close, giving her one of her famous bear hugs.

When Taylor pulled away she added, "Call me, often, okay?"

There were tears in Sally's eyes now, "Alright, honey, but you'd better come back and visit."

"Sometime."

"Sometime," Sally agreed.

They smiled again and with a nod Taylor left.

She followed the road down to Stone mechanics. When they pulled up, she took a minute to figure out what she wanted to say. But when she walked into the garage she forgot it all anyway. He was working on an old Saturn. The Saturn was up on the lift and he was tinkering away underneath it.

"Hey cowboy," Taylor greeted.

Jeremy turned, smiling when he saw her, but when he started towards her his smile faded.

"There could only be two reason's you're here," he started, pulling a fairly clean rag out of his back pocket and wiping his greasy hands on it. "Either you're gonna ask me to go home with you right now, or you're leaving again," he paused studying her, "I'm really hoping it's the former."

Taylor smiled back, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"That's what I thought." He leaned against the edge of the garage, sighing.

"I have to leave Jeremy, the town is too familiar, the pain will be easier to deal with away from here." She shifted her arms to cross them, but when pain shot from her side, she decided against it.

"What you need to do is get some rest and heal," Jeremy said moving closer, he put his hands on her forearms, before sliding his hands down to link his fingers with hers.

"I can't-."

"Taylor, whenever you're faced with something too big to deal with you always run away."

Her eyes flashed, "I don't run away," she studied him eyes dark. Then pulled away from him, "Oh, what, you mean after my mom died? You know perfectly well that I had to go find out who I was, I was not running away from the pain of her death."

"That's not what I meant."

"Of course it is." Taylor did cross her arms now, ignoring the pain, and lifted her chin in defiance.

"Ok I'm sorry, Please don't leave mad," Jeremy pleaded, taking her hands again.

She tried to pull away but he held tight.

"Answer me this one question," Jeremy started. She looked up at him finally. "Do you really love me, or is this a one sided relationship?"

Taylor's eyes softened, "Of course I do, Jeremy."

"You've never actually said it."

Taylor looked down then, but Jeremy grabbed her chin and met her gaze.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"Giving myself a reason to stay, a reason to find a safe job, a reason not to go after this demon and get revenge."

"So what you're saying is that you're need for revenge is stronger then your love for me?"

"No," She almost yelled. "That's just the thing, I love you so much that I know that would be enough for me to stay," She explained.

Jeremy pulled her closer so their bodies were almost touching, a glint in his eyes, "Then why don't you."

"Because, I have to do this, for my mom, for Kelly, for myself, and despite the risks of the job," she motioned towards her left side. "I help people, save people even."

"Become a cop."

"It's not that easy Jeremy."

He sighed and laid his forehead against her looking into her green eyes solemnly.

"I love you Jeremy Stone, and I have since the ninth grade."

He pulled away a puzzled expression on his face, "The ninth grade, you've been pining for me that long."

Taylor laughed, the first time in a long time, "Not exactly pining."

"Well, what then?"

Taylor just smiled up and him, he smiled back down, blue eyes warm with amusement. After a moment he started to lean in, she did the same and wrapped her arms around his neck. As their lips met, he placed his hands on her hips. The kiss was soft at first then deepening. The kiss became urgent near the end, but Jeremy pulled away a crooked smile on his face.

"What?"

"You sure that wasn't pining?"

Taylor slapped his chest playfully, "Jerk."

Jeremy laughed fully, throwing his head back as he did. Taylor giggled.

He pulled her closer, and leaned back down to set his forehead on hers again, "So I guess this is goodbye."

Taylor's smiled faded a little but not completely, "Yeah, but not forever."

"You promise."

Taylor smiled again, "Promise." She pulled him into a lingering hug.

She pulled away first, standing up on her tiptoes to give him another sweet kiss. She smiled again as she pulled away.

Before he let her go he added, "Call me, at least once a day."

She grinned, "How about at least once a week?"

He thought for a second. "I think I can live with that."

She blew him a kiss before pulling her hands out of his and walking back to her car.

As soon as she got in her car, reality crashed back down on her head painfully. Jeremy stood with his hands in his pockets, his grey t-shirt smeared with grease and his dark blue jeans torn. That's when the tears came, and she stored that picture of him in her mind to remember always. She started up her car, trying futilely to hold back her tears. He waved as she left, and as she followed the Impala back down the road she watched him wave through her rearview mirror as she cried. She started to doubt Sam's words, but took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the road. She blasted Nickleback trying to keep her mind off of anything painful as they got on the highway and left St. Cloud behind.


End file.
